My Wife and I are looking to buy a travel trailer to take on 4x4 weekends and shortish vacations. We're planning on using our 91 Amigo to pull it, and we're looking at trailers that weight 3,000lbs or less (loaded, ready to roll). I would like to see what other Isuzu people think of my upping the tow rating on our 91 Amigo. Here's how 1st gen Vs. 2nd gen shapes up:

(I don't know why the 'code' tag is showing up, but at least the table is readable now)



Is the frame of the 2nd gen stronger? I can upgrade our rear brakes, and will be putting in a different front axle, probably a D44 so we'll have better brakes than stock. We're also on 35" tires with a rear SOA. I can also install air bags if necessary to help out the springs (The bumper I put on is around #80 by itself).

I know it towed our current trailer, around 1,800lbs with the 4cyl, and 35s without any problems (other than power). No sway, and no braking problems (electric trailer brakes). Thoughts, other than "Stick to the stock 2K limit and be safe", would be welcomed and apreciated.

Most I tow with my 93 Amigo is a grill, or a small trailer with a motorcycle.

Hey, I lived in Texas for 10 years and still go back about 14 times a year. It's a big grill. It's been used at local restaurants. (Funny....I'd get free dinner but they didn't want the Amigo parked in a prominent place out front....)

I just think power would be your biggest issue, dragging on the engine.

The table is hard to read but the Amigo will be modified with a 200 hp V6 (I believe); so the power is not the concern.

I didn't catch the part where you were doing an engine swap with a 2001, I thought you were just comparing.

I think the 'code' command uses equal space letters and retains spacing, much like Courier font.

I can't even begin to speak for how strong frames are by ear, but Isuzu always built stout.

I've towed a pop-up trailer with our 99 amigo quite a bit, usually in the colorado mountains. It weighs in, fully loaded, under 2000 pounds (probably closer to 1800). The amigo pulls it well on gentle terrain and 'easy' hills, but does bog down on the steeper hills.

I have also towed our samurai from Denver to Moab and back on two occasions. The sammi probably weighs in at around 2200 pounds (loaded) and the dolly weighs 200 or so.

With that amount of weight, and three passengers in the Amigo, the uphill climbs are much more of a struggle. 35 - 40 mph on the way to the Eisenhower Tunnel, that or a litle less on Vail Pass (Eastbound, especially). The engine works very hard for the 10 - 15 mile stretches that are the steepest, and also works hard on some of the smaller steep hills along the way.

I cannot imagine towing much more weight with my sammi (at least at 10,000 - 11,000 feet in the Rockies). If you are going to be predominantly on 'flat land' you might have better results.

I'd make electric trailer brakes and a load distributing hitch requirements, and then you could probably get away with this in relative safety. I wouldn't go a penny over 3k lbs though, so make sure you're right on the weigh and factor in all your gear, passengers, and fuel too.


-Rob

Actually it is the 1991 that is getting a 3.8 Camaro motor:

Amigo Motor Swap

I believe that the 2000 is there just for comparison. Last I knew Chris did not have a late model.

With the live axle front swap, a little extended wheelbase can only help the towing of the Amigo as well.

Steve's got it nailed. I'm going to wind up with a 91 Amigo, a Camaro 3.8L motor(200ft/lb of torque from about 1500rpm on up), and a solid front axle moved forward 3-6" (Not sure how much, as that's a future project). The stock 91 and the 2000 Amigo specs, are indeed, only there for comparison purposes.

It edited the original post using the 'code' command (Thanks Wayne) so the comparison chart is more ledgable.

Thanks for the input so far...

Honestly a 1st gen Amigo with SAS isn't something I would want to tow much with. Between the height, over size tires, relatively short wheelbase (anything under 100" is short). I'm not looking at it from the power perspective, you'll have plenty. I also believe the drive train will be up to it. I would mostly be concerned with the suspension and weight of the trailer causing a bit of an issue.

Not to say it won't work "good enough"

FWIW, I used to tow a 1700 lb boat behind both my stock 1st gen and my lifted 2nd gen (stock gears and 33's) without a problem.

-Mike